A crowned and garlanded pale-blue Dhoni is shown mimicking the god’s stance, with multiple arms clutching, instead of symbols of the deity’s power, products Dhoni endorses including a smartphone, a packet of chips, and a running shoe.

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A local court in the district of Anantapur served Dhoni with a bailable arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on previous occasions, said police superintendent Senthil Kumar.

Dhoni must appear in front of the court on or before July 16, said Mr. Kumar.

Under Indian law, if an accused receives a bailable warrant and appears in court by the specified date, the court will cancel the arrest warrant. If the accused fails to appear by that date, the court may order his arrest.

The warrant against Dhoni is related to a petition first filed in a local court last November, said Mr. Kumar.

A leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a right-wing Hindu group, alleged that by mocking a Hindu God, the cricketer had hurt Hindu sentiments, according to local news reports. Vishnu is the god of preservation according to Hindu belief.

Similar cases against Dhoni are pending in New Delhi, Pune and other cities. Dhoni could not be immediately reached for comment.

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